The Los Angeles Lakers want to retool their roster around Luka Doncic in the offseason, but they may have to find someone willing to take on Deandre Ayton’s contract first. LA signed the seven-footer after he was bought out by the Blazers. It took a two-year contract with a player option for the 2026-27 season to make that happen. Nobody thought Ayton would be so bad that he might actually opt in, but here we are.
The experiment has been a disaster. Ayton has refused to buy into his role and is continually benched late in games. The Lakers need a rim protector and lob threat to pair with Doncic. Ayton hasn’t been either, and the former number one pick’s energy fluctuations have been the biggest concern. Los Angeles never knows which Ayton will show up, and it has forced head coach JJ Redick to limit his minutes.
The purple and gold want to put shooting and defense around Luka. Getting a center upgrade is high on the offseason priority list, but it may mean trading Ayton. The big man’s $8.1 million player option has to look enticing, especially if declining means taking significantly less next season. The fit isn’t there, but Ayton wants to get paid. He knows LA will trade him, so his best bet may be forcing a nightmare scenario on the Lakers.
Lakers deserve all the blame if Deandre Ayton opts in this offseason
Ayton’s defense is problematic. He often gets lost on the backline and fails to contest at the rim. There are way too many easy buckets with Ayton in the game, which the Lakers can’t have.
Los Angeles wants their offense to run through Doncic. Austin Reaves and LeBron James are next in the pecking order. With three star creators, the ideal role for Ayton is cleaning the glass, finishing at the rim, and setting screens. DominAyton wants more, which has only created more issues.
The Lakers' offseason plan to improve is focused on cap space. LeBron, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, and Jaxson Hayes could all be free agents this summer, depending on what AR and Smart do with their player options. The franchise has tried to preserve cap space to alter their roster, so the last thing they want is Ayton staying on their books.
The franchise could trade his $8.1 million expiring contract if he opts in, but it means attaching draft capital or finding a team willing to take him on. Los Angeles will be his third flameout in eight NBA seasons. It is hard to turn away talent, but the book is out on Ayton.
The Lakers deserve all the blame if the nightmare arises. They didn’t have to give him a player option for next season. There were always fit questions, and none of Ayton’s issues are new. He struggled to play with energy and protect the rim in Phoenix and Portland. LA dreamed the issues would be solved playing for the Lakers, but it was never going to happen.
The Los Angeles Lakers plan on improving their roster around Luka Doncic this summer, but they may have to deal with Deandre Ayton first. The player holds the power thanks to Rob Pelinka and the front office. They handed out a player option, and will instantly regret it if he opts in.
LA created it, so it is on them to solve it. There may be some pain involved, but hopefully, it teaches them a valuable lesson. Fit matters and problems rarely vanish. They need all the assets they can muster to build around Luka, so this situation is worth watching closely. Hopefully, the Lakers can figure it out without too much pain, but only time will tell.